We have recently updated our Account & Access Facility Conditions of Use as a result of changes to the minimum age requirements of Apple Pay users.
Effective 15 March 2024
Section 37.2 Digital Wallet Services now states that if you are under the age of 13, Apple Pay is not available, and you are unable to add a card in the Apple Wallet.
Our latest Account & Access Facility Conditions of Use can be found here. If you would like to discuss any of these changes, please contact us on 1300 36 2000 8:00 am to 7:00 pm AEST, Monday to Friday.
From the 1st of January 2024 we are changing the way we notify Members of Interest rate changes affecting Overdraft and Credit card products.
Currently, we publish an advertisement in a national newspaper advising our members of the changes to our existing Overdraft and Credit card products. From the 1st of January 2024 we will no longer be publishing an advert in the national newspaper, instead when a rate change for these products occurs, we will publish a notice to the latest news section of our website. We believe this change will improve our rate change process and this notice will be more visible and accessible to our members.
FAQ's
When will this be changing?From 1st January 2024, this will take effect to future interest rate changes to our existing overdraft and credit card product holders.
Why is this changing?New legislation now allows Unity Bank to publish this notification on our website instead of a national newspaper. This allows for the notice to be more visible and accessible to our members.
Where can I find this notice on the Unity Bank website?When published, this notice can be found in the latest news section under the category Important Information on the Unity Bank website.
I received a letter in the mail for my home loan, will this be changing too?No, interest rate letters will continue to be sent for lending products. This notification only applies to members with an Overdraft or Credit card product.
What’s New
Enjoy an enhanced online experience with a seamless, user-friendly, and modern interface. Although the design is fresh, our core values and commitment to your financial security and success remain the same.
For Reliance Bank Members, if you have previously bookmarked the Reliance Bank website URL, don't worry! You can continue to access the new website via www.reliancebank.com.au, and be seamlessly redirected to the updated experience at www.unitybank.com.au.
The website now features Reliance Bank information and contact details in conjunction with the Unity Bank brand.
Internet Banking
The website has clearly marked separate login buttons for Unity Bank and Reliance Bank Internet Banking in the top-right corner, which operate the same as they do now.
Why Did We Move to One Website?
The costs involved in maintaining two websites are significant, and we are conscious that it is your money as a member-owned bank. The products and services are the same for Reliance Bank and Unity Bank, so it makes sense not to duplicate the costs and resources involved in maintaining two websites.
Support and Contact Information
Contact details, branch addresses, and member support information for both Unity Bank and Reliance Bank are prominently displayed on the website, ensuring easy access to assistance when needed.
If you have any questions or need assistance exploring the new website, please do not hesitate to contact us on 1300 36 2000.
Did you know you may be eligible for a Repayment Holiday on your variable home loan?
A Repayment Holiday is when you’ve built up enough buffer with your funds (available redraw) from making extra repayments on your home loan. This buffer allows you to stop or reduce the amount of loan repayments as the available redraw can cover your scheduled home loan payments.
Our Repayment Holiday option enables you to take a break from your mortgage loan repayments for up to six months and gives you more flexibility to suit changes to your lifestyle, whether they're planned or unplanned. It allows you to free up funds to use as you wish - to take a holiday or purchase a large item.
By drawing down on the advanced status of your loan for the holiday period at its completion you will simply return to your scheduled repayments.
Case Study
Graham and Belinda took out a home loan three years ago to purchase their home. Over the last two years they have been paying more than their required repayment amount every fortnight. Consequently, the extra funds have built up over time and now they have a substantial amount of advanced funds (over repayments) sitting in their home loan.
Belinda is now pregnant and plans to take nine months maternity leave, however her job will only pay her for three months. Graham and Belinda want to maintain a similar level of income after Belinda has the baby, so they contact us and arrange to put their home loan repayments on hold for six months once the baby is born. During that time we'll use the extra amount in their advances to deduct the home loan repayments. So, after the six months, the total pool of available advances will be less.
It's important that during the six month Repayment Holiday period Graham and Belinda don't make any significant redraws. If they do it may mean that they'll need to increase their fortnightly repayments when the Repayment Holiday is over, in order to repay the loan within the agreed term.
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Two Unity Bank employees, Erika and Issac, had the opportunity to attend and represent Unity Bank at the 2023 Trundle Bush Tucker Day on 2 September 2023. It is a beloved Australian festival for the whole family to enjoy.
Read about Erika’s experience:
“Issac Theobald, myself with my husband tagging along as a driver, went out to be a part of the Trundle Bush Tucker Day event. This was held at the Trundle Showground arena.
The weather put on a spectacular show, which encouraged good participation from many in the community.
They had live entertainment on the centre stage with various singers throughout the day, and vendor stalls were positioned to create an alleyway moving down towards the centre stage. The type of vendors participating in the festivities included local blacksmiths, metal garden art stalls, country clothing and bootwear, and a group of arts and craft stalls selling homemade food items and kitchen apparel.
Along the perimeter of the showground, large fire pits were being manned to provide stations for the bush ovens where various bush tucker recipes were being cooked, along with some smaller ground oven pits with large pots offering a variety of dishes.
They also had the Australian National Female whip cracking champion who had just returned from the World Championships where she was placed 3rd. She had whip-cracking displays throughout the day, entertaining the crowds. She was amazing and very skilled at her craft.
Adult ticket price was set at $50 a single ticket with $5 for children under 16yrs. All profit funds for the day were to be distributed back into the Trundle Community, supporting local groups such as Trundle Men’s Shed, Trundle Pony Club, and the Country Women’s Association groups in Trundle.
I had two local community members approach me to tell me how much they appreciated having Unity Bank in their community, noting the distances they would need to travel to do their banking if we were not in town.
Supporting events like the Trundle Bush Tucker Day gives weight to our commitment to smaller rural communities.”
If you would like to find out more about Trundle Bush Tucker Day, visit their Facebook page.
We are urging our Members to be cautious of investments promised via Facebook Marketplace.
Scammers via Facebook Marketplace use a variety of tactics to manipulate buyers and sellers of the platform, often disguising themselves as one or the other. These scammers often send emails or text messages that reflect an investment scheme asking you to click on a link to find out more.
Possible scenario
Fake emails are sent to Marketplace sellers that look like they’re from a payment service such as PayPal confirming a payment has been made for the product you are selling. However, no payment has been made, and the scammer has received the product for ‘free’.
How to protect yourself from this type of scam
Take time to read suspicious emails or text messages (scammers often use urgency as a tactic to trick you into giving money or personal information).
Check the email thoroughly (these emails often mention a problem that needs a solution quickly). Check the facts and details before taking action.
Do not send any personal data or information (often these scammers use profile pictures of employees in a familiar business to convince you of their legitimacy).
If you believe you have been scammed, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000.
